Kavon Frazier eyes Dallas Cowboys starting safety job

Dallas Cowboys safety Kavon Frazier has his sights set on a starting safety spot with the competition wide open.

The sixth-round pick out of Central Michigan in 2016 will compete against veterans Robert Blanton, Jeff Heath and Byron Jones, and even sixth-round rookie Xavier Woods, for a starting job.

“I feel like I have to go out there and play my game and play how I know I can play,” Frazier said Sunday at the inaugural National Fantasy Football Convention in Dallas. “I’m very confident in my skill set. And I’m ready to go out there and compete.”

The 22-year-old from Grand Rapids, Mich., cites his confidence coming into training camp this year as a big difference from his rookie training camp.

Said Frazier: “I would say I’m way more confident. I think I’ve got better knowledge of the game and system that we run. I kind of understand where I can take my chances and where I can make my plays out there. Last year, I was kind of passive.”

One of the most influential players for Frazier both on and off the field was Barry Church, a team captain who had been with the Cowboys since joining the league as an undrafted free agent in 2010.

Church’s departure in free agency along with safety J.J. Wilcox and starting cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne cast uncertainty over the Dallas secondary. However, Frazier believes going against “one of the best offenses we’re going to see all year” in practice will give stability on the back end.

“If you can make plays on our offense, you can make plays on any other team that we play,” said Frazier. “Film is a big part of it too, watching film. Go through our coverages and you see here’s a spot where I might jump at because I’ve got help at the corner rolling at the top. We’ve got different schemes where I feel like I can make plays.”

Frazier played in nine games in 2016 and registered 6 tackles. Even if he falls short of claiming a starting job, his filling the void on special teams should help the team.